Earlier detection is the first step in averting blindness
Glaucoma is second only to cataracts as the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It occurs when the flow of fluid in the front of the eye is slowed or blocked, which causes a buildup in intraocular pressure that damages the optic nerve.
There is no cure, but treatment can reduce the pressure and protect the eyes against blindness. Now Dr. Eniko T. Enikov, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Gholan Peyman, a Phoenix ophthalmologist, have developed a new test that offers earlier and more accurate detection, which is critical to saving the patient’s vision.
The probe they developed employs micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, which is the foundation for building microscopic machines used in a growing number of applications in the micro-optics industry. The test can be performed at home without an anesthetic, and it involves no contact, which eliminates the risk of infection. “MEMS is able to place lots of tiny sensors in close integrated fashion, next to each other,” Enikov explains. “This is what technology is supposed to do—to help people.”
The researchers are exploring options for manufacturing the device and gaining the needed authorization from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). “We would like to do a sufficient number of human subject tests to pave the way to an FDA review,” Enikov says. Because the test is non-invasive, it will not require preliminary testing on animals. “I’m hoping to be able to do some small-scale tests in the coming months.” Once the current prototypes are finalized, the inventors can move toward full launch of a product that promises to help people take earlier action to save their sight.
CONNECT THE DOTS
The National Eye Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health, provides extensive information about glaucoma’s causes, risk factors, symptoms, detection and treatment on its website. The Glaucoma Research Foundation offers additional information about living with glaucoma. From this page, you can order the Foundation’s free booklets, which address such titles as Childhood Glaucoma, African Americans and Glaucoma, Cataracts and Glaucoma, and the Spanish-language booklets Como Entender y Vivir con Glaucoma (Understanding and Living with Glaucoma) and Lo Que Necesita Saber Sobre el Glaucoma (What You Need to Know About Glaucoma), each of which is also available in an English edition.
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